Saints hint at return for Millward

St Helens have hit back at mounting criticism of the suspension of their coach Ian Millward, although their chairman Eamonn McManus also dropped the strongest hint yet that the Australian could be reinstated this week.

McManus issued a statement yesterday condemning Millward and his solicitor Richard Cramer for "destabilising the club" by revealing details of his disciplinary hearing, and also launched a fierce defence of the Saints chief executive Sean McGuire.

"The great name of Saints has been brought into disrepute too often in recent years, and as chairman I cannot allow that to continue," said McManus, referring for the first time during the latest controversy to last year's turmoil at Knowsley Road, when Sean Long and Martin Gleeson were suspended for betting irregularities after Millward sent a below-strength team to Bradford on Easter Monday.

"I have always had an excellent relationship with Ian and have always supported him personally, professionally and financially. I even stood by him when he last chose a seriously weakened team against Bradford without the knowledge of the board of directors and I stood by him when the gambling charges arose which brought the club into disrepute in the eyes of our spectators, the game and the wider public - but had nothing to do with the club itself."

He added that "the charges are being grossly and irresponsibly trivialised", referring to the claims of Millward's solicitor that he is being punished for swearing, but concluded: "That said, further action will be taken only if the incidents and other matters are sufficiently grave in their own right. Ian clearly knows that and I trust that the fans now know that."

The statement came after a constant flow of negative publicity for Saints since last Wednesday's bombshell, further fuelled by the angry protests at Friday's game against York, and the insistence of the club's former captain, coach and chairman Eric Ashton MBE that the decision to suspend Millward had nothing to do with him.

"The totally irresponsible way in which sources are commenting on this matter, some even closely associated with the club, is unnecessarily damaging the club and Ian's own case," McManus continued.

He claimed that "the personal attacks on Sean McGuire and his family is based on wholly erroneous information.

"It is clearly a carefully orchestrated campaign and I personally find it offensive and upsetting.

"He has personally turned around the club's financial and commercial position in the past two years, and he is a person of the highest principles and acts absolutely in the best interests of the club. He has done so in this instance also."